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"number of" vs. "numbers of" and the corresponding verb

I want to describe the situation that the number of men with depression and the number of women with depression are both on the increase, but don't know the correct expression.

Which one of the following is correct?

(1.a) The number of men and women with depression is on the increase.
(1.b) The number of men and women with depression are on the increase.
(2.a) The numbers of men and women with depression is on the increase.
(2.b) The numbers of men and women with depression are on the increase.

Re: "number of" vs. "numbers of" and the corresponding verb

I want to describe the situation that the number of men with depression and the number of women with depression are both on the increase, but don't know the correct expression.

Which one of the following is correct?

(1.a) The number of men and women with depression is on the increase.
(1.b) The number of men and women with depression are on the increase.
(2.a) The numbers of men and women with depression is on the increase.
(2.b) The numbers of men and women with depression are on the increase.

Any suggestions and advices would be geatly appreciated. Thank you.

Welcome to the forums, maquia.
It would be much simpler to say "Depression is on the increase in both men and women".

Re: "number of" vs. "numbers of" and the corresponding verb

Originally Posted by bhaisahab

Welcome to the forums, maquia.
It would be much simpler to say "Depression is on the increase in both men and women".

Thank you for your reply, bhaisahab.

Acutually, the situation described above is not the whole story that has to be described in my text, and the terms "depression" and "men" are not origianl ones and used as substitute for a different disease and differernt age group.

More specifically, I want to describe the following situation:

- Disease XX is common in people aged 20 to 60 years, and much more common among men than women. This rarely occurs in people under age 20 and over age 60 and in women of any age.
- But times have changed. A recent Study A has indicated a gradual increase in the number of women with Disease XX, and Study B has shown that more people over age 60 (hereinafter "the elderly") are suffering from Disease XX. (Note: The number of patients was calculated separately for women and the elderly. It is not the total number of women and the elderly combined.)

In this situation, the most important factore is "an increase in the number" (among women and the elderly), so I want to emphasize this change (increase), not the disease. How do I express an increasing number of patients for two separate groups (or two separate increases) in one sentence using "the number/numbers of"?

Re: "number of" vs. "numbers of" and the corresponding verb

Originally Posted by hetzer

I believe "the number of plural form is -" is better. We don't say "the numbers of plural form are -", do we?

Thank you for your reply, hetzer.

I gave a more specific description in my reply to bhaisahab above. And, please note that it is not the total number of two categories combined. So, the problem is not what the verb corresponding to "the number of plural form" is, but how I can express an increasing number of patients for two separate groups (or two separate increases) in one sentence.

And unfortunately, I've seen a lot the expression "the numbers of As and Bs are" in my field (medical).